ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTIONThe New Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC) is a dynamic, new immigrant legal service organization based in Albuquerque that is dedicated to providing access to justice to New Mexico’s immigrants. NMILC’s core services include representation of immigrants facing separation of family due to deportation, victims of domestic violence and crimes, immigrant children and asylum-seekers. While we focus primarily on the legal needs of New Mexico’s immigrant communities, we also recognize that immigration problems and solutions are intricately inter-connected with other areas of life and that our advocacy is stronger when we engage in holistic and interdisciplinary care for those we serve though strategic collaboration with community partners.

THE POSITIONNMILC is seeking an Executive Director to lead and help build this growing organization. The Executive Director is charged with developing and implementing the organization’s vision; overseeing and providing legal services and advocacy; leading the fundraising process and developing donor relationships; managing internal operations in collaboration with the leadership team; meeting the organization’s financial goals; providing leadership in community affairs and collaborative initiatives; and serving as the public voice of the organization.

REQUIREMENTS:*J.D., admitted in at least one state. A minimum of 5 years relevant legal experience.*Bi-lingual Spanish/English*Significant knowledge and experience in immigration law, immigration legal services, and advocacy*Demonstrated success securing national and local grants and developing a strong base of individual donors and supporters. At least 2 years of relevant experience in a non-profit setting.*Significant experience in providing strategic organization leadership*Significant experience in leading, collaborating with and managing leadership teams, support staff and volunteers.*Excellent written and oral communication skills*Demonstrated skills in building community partnerships.*Strong understanding of non-profit finances, budgeting, and governance.*Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire.* Excellent reputation for integrity and high ethical standards

Salary commensurate with experience. Generous benefits, including health, dental, and paid annual leave. For best consideration, submit cover letter and resume to nmimmigrantlaw@gmail.com by May 4, 2012. Position to begin as soon as practicable.

To help ensure America's commitment to justice for all, the American Bar Association Commission on Immigration has produced an updated version of "Know Your Rights," an educational video for the more than 400,000 men and women held in immigration detention facilities across the country each year. The "Know Your Rights" video will be especially valuable for more than 80 percent of people in detention who do not have lawyers. Unlike in the criminal justice context, there is no right to government-paid counsel in immigration proceedings.

The 45-minute video replaces a decade-old version with new information that shows detainees how to navigate the court system and what to expect as they await their day in court. Through a series of vignettes with actors re-enacting typical scenarios, the video uses proven adult-education techniques to maximize comprehension and retention. It is available in English, Spanish and French.

he ABA Commission on Immigration collaborated on the project with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Detention Watch Network, and the National Immigrant Justice Center. The Commission is working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to distribute the video to the 250 detention centers across the country. Click hereto view a preview of the video. To view the entire video, go here.

On Wednesday, April 25, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Arizona v. United States and the constitutionality of the Arisona immigration enforcement law known as S.B. 1070. Advocate for conservative causes Paul D. Clement of the law firm of Bancroft PLLC will argue for the state of Arizona. Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. from the Solicitor General's office, who had a tough time before the Court last month attempting to defend President Obama's health care reform legislation, will argue on behalf of the United States. Recall that Justice Elena Kagan recuised herself from the case and eight Justices will now decide it.

Lyle Denniston has a careful analysis of Arizona v. United States, the arguments laid out in the briefs, and possible outcomes on SCOTUSBlog. Earlier in the week on ImmigrationProf, I laid out some of the relevant context and legal issues raised by the case. See also this article touching on some of the civil rights impacts of S.B. 1070.

One possible outcome warrants consideration. In the Ninth Circuit, Judge Carlos Bea dissented from the majority's invalidation of two of the four provisions of S.B. 1070. As he stated,

"I respectfully dissent from the majority opinion as to Sections 2(B) (entitled `Cooperation and assistance in enforcement of immigration laws; indemnification') and 6 (entitled `Arrest by officer without warrant'), finding their reasoning as to Congress's intent without support in the relevant statutes and case law. As to Sections 3 and 5(C), I concur in the result and the majority of the reasoning . . . ."

Judge Bea's approach might be attractive to several of the Justices, including Chief Justice Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Alito, and Thomas. Attracting one or more of these Justices might result in enough votes (along with Justices Breyer, Ginsburg, and Sotomayor, who dissented in last Term's decision in Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting, which upheld the Arizona law that stripped business licenses from the employers of undocumented immigrants), to uphold part of the Ninth Circuit's ruling.

German Integration
Germany's importation of temporary workers in the 1960's and strict naturalization rules created tension. The turkish workers, who remained after the program, faced integration obstacles. The naturalization rules denied children of undocumented immigrants citizenship and therefore the kids grew up feeling like theri own place of birth did not want them. Two things helped Germany with the tension. The naturalization and derivative citizenship rules were relaxed and many undocumented residents in Germany were legalized when the EU was formed. Akso all the italian, greek, and Spanish workers who lacked immigration status were thereafter eligible for residence in Germany. But even though irregular immigration (their term for undocumented immigration) in Germany is very low and total immigrant population is about 16 million (including first and second generation), integration of immigrants is a challenge. The presindent, the prime minister, foundations, and several political parties, are spending resources thinking through how to incorporate immigrants into German society and how to promote tolerance of differences--a very tall order for most coutries. I will talk about some of those programs in my next entry. EQ

The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) marked its 10th Anniversary with a gala reception in Washington, D.C., paying tribute to several visionaries in the U.S. and international migration arenas. Initially a project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, MPI a bit more than a decade ago became the first-ever, stand-alone, independent think tank dedicated solely to the study of U.S. and global migration policy and trends.

In the decade since its founding, MPI has played an influential role in the immigration policy discussions that have taken place in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe and beyond – providing an evidence-based, pragmatic, non-ideological approach to sound migration management and immigrant integration policymaking designed to benefit all stakeholders.

The Institute’s work has been advanced through the publication of more than 300 reports and books; testimony before the U.S. Congress, national parliaments and blue-ribbon commissions; hundreds of public briefings; and countless private meetings and convenings with key government and civil-society leaders around the world. Headquartered in Washington, MPI has established presences in Bangkok, Brussels, London and New York and can leverage the expertise of affiliated fellows and partners elsewhere around the world. In 2011, Migration Policy Institute Europe was established in Brussels as a non-profit, independent research institute focusing on European migration analysis and policy design.

At its 10th anniversary celebration, MPI will presented the following awards:

• Leadership in Public Policy: To former Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-WY) and former Congressman Romano L. “Ron” Mazzoli (D-KY), lead sponsors of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which was the first legislative effort to comprehensively address the issue of illegal immigration (through increased border enforcement, creation of employer sanctions for hiring unauthorized workers and two legalization programs). MPI gave recognition to the two legislators for their leadership and bipartisanship in working across the aisle to enact a major immigration reform measure with the interests of the country squarely in mind. The awards also serve as reminder of a time when Congress was able to set aside its divisions to accomplish big things in the immigration arena.

• Global Visionary Award: To Open Society Foundations (OSF) President Aryeh Neier for his career-long dedication to the protection and advancement of rights for the most vulnerable populations throughout the world, including refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants. In the mid-1990s, the foundation created a $50 million fund in the United States to provide naturalization and other services to immigrants and to build capacity among immigrant-rights organizations. And with the creation of OSF’s International Migration Initiative, the foundation is making a major commitment to protecting migrants around the world. Neier, who became OSF president in 1993, is stepping down from the helm of the organization in July.

• Leadership in International Migration Policy: To former Prime Minister of Italy and Vice President of the Convention on the Future of Europe, Giuliano Amato, who has been a leading voice for a more common European Union approach with respect to immigration and immigrant integration policies and was an architect in pursuit of that vision.

• Young Innovators: To OneVietnam Network Co-Founders Uyen Nguyen and James Huy Bao, who are using online and social media platforms to engage the Vietnamese diaspora in action for good through the use of new media, arts, culture and social entrepreneurship.

Apparently, the State Bar of California starting asking bar exam applicants about their immigration status a few years back. Obviously, this creates a problem for qualified applicants, and imposing such a requirement is unprecedented and likely unconstitutional.

Click here to sign an online petition to support undocumented applicants for the California bar exam.

It is that time of year when we all are required to submit our tax returns. Immigration Impact reminds us that many immigrants pay taxes too. When it comes to the topic of immigration, Tax Day is a reminder that immigrants pay billions in taxes every year. This is true even of unauthorized immigrants. In addition, the federal government spends billions of taxpayer dollars each year on immigration-enforcement measures that wouldn’t be necessary if not for the chronic inability of Congress to reform our immigration system. In other words, there is a strong fiscal case to be made for immigration reform.

These haunting words were cried by Anastasio Hernández-Rojas as over a dozen Border Patrol agents beat him. Mr. Hernández-Rojas later died at the hospital.

PBS is airing newly recovered video of the incident in a documentary tonight, Friday April 20.

The documentary, "First Look: Crossing the Line" investigates whether U.S. border agents have been using excessive force in an effort to curb undocumented migration. In a rush to secure the border, are agents being adequately trained, monitored, and held accountable for their actions?

A special Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program announced last August to reduce the massive backlog of pending matters by identifying those that could be dismissed or put on hold has resulted in the closure of 2,609 cases, according to government data covering the period up to the end of March. The backlog reduction is less than one percent of the 298,173 cases pending before the Immigration Courts as of the end of last September. The stated goal of the ICE program was to better prioritize and reduce the backup of pending matters that had led to lengthy delays in the proceedings of noncitizens it wanted to deport. So far, however, the pace of these closures has not been sufficient to stop the growth in the court's backlog. In fact, as of the end of March 2012, the Immigration Court backlog had risen to 305,556 matters. These and other results — by court and hearing location — are based upon analyses of very recent case-by-case records obtained from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University.

For three years, OneAmerica community organizers had been hearing about the fear and mistrust border residents harbored toward U.S. Border Patrol. Residents living in Snohomish, Whatcom, and Skagit counties were too afraid to go to the courthouse to pay a fine, too mistrustful of the authorities to call 911, or too fearful to leave their home to attend church or go to the grocery store. How could they become active participants in their communities if they were too scared to leave home? Organizers interviewed residents in their homes, at work, and in church. We researched and observed how U.S. Border Patrol’s funding soared, its jurisdiction crept further and further inland, and how its role in the community became virtually indistinguishable from local police and 911 emergency service personnel.

OneAmerica compiled this research into a report and, in April 2012, released The Growing Human Rights Crisis on the Northern Border, which truly demonstrates the transformation of these border communities in the wake of the post-9/11 buildup of U.S. Border Patrol activity in the area. The report shares the findings from 109 on-the-ground interviews with mothers, fathers, workers, and students. The majority of stories are marked by fear, mistrust, harassment, and abuse. They are rooted in specific—and avoidable—patterns of practice implemented by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), working in close coordination with Immigration and Customs and Enforcement and local law enforcement agencies.

First, in its own independent operations, the Border Patrol engages in systematic profiling of religious and ethnic minorities.

Second, collaboration between Border Patrol and other agencies, including local law enforcement, emergency responders, and the courts, results in a confusing and dangerous fusion where vital services are perceived as immigration enforcement.

Third, these first two patterns result in a third: U.S. Border Patrol’s behavior and dangerous partnerships with other agencies have created extensive fear and mistrust, leading to community members’ unwillingness to call 911, access the courts, and even to leave their house to attend worship services or fulfill basic needs.

The report offers policy recommendations aimed at correcting these wrongs while still protecting our borders, improving the ability for CBP to carry out its mission, and protecting the safety and rights of all who live in these communities. This report is the product of a unique three-way partnership between OneAmerica, the University of Washington Center for Human Rights, and the residents and leaders of these border communities.

American University Washington College of Law and Legal Momentum, the Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, are pleased to announce the creation of the National Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project (NIWAP), a collaborative initiative on behalf of immigrant women and children. NIWAP will address the needs of immigrant women victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes by advocating for reforms in law and policy and providing training and technical assistance to lawyers, judges, law enforcement, social workers, and policy advocates across the United States. Legal Momentum is the recipient of funding from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women and the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support work on issues facing immigrant victims of domestic, sexual, and other violence. The collaborative work of American University Washington College of Law, NIWAP, and Legal Momentum will be supported by these grants and by sub-awards from Legal Momentum to American University Washington College of Law. Legal Momentum’s Bureau of Justice Assistance funded-work promoting U visa certification and collaboration between police, prosecutors, and immigrant victim advocates is enhanced by a partnership with the Vera Institute for Justice. For more details, see Download NIWAPrelease.

Rainbow Bridges, a 48-page guide developed in a pilot project to resettle LGBT refugees in San Francisco, offers practical step-by-step guidance on welcoming new refugees, ensuring their mental and physical wellbeing, and helping them find support in their new communities. It includes sample forms, a suggested code of conduct, and outlines the avenues for refugees to receive housing, employment, and federal assistance.

ORAM estimates the US receives about 2,000 refugees a year who are fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, representing 6% of all refugees in America. Unlike other refugees, those who are LGBT or intersex often undergo the integration process alone, facing exclusion from the religious and immigrant communities that form the safety net for most newly arrived refugees and asylees. Rainbow Bridges will help U.S. LGBT, faith-based, and welcoming communities support these refugees as they build new lives in the United States.

Immigration Law & the Military is your one-stop resource on military-related immigration issues, providing in-depth guidance on the effects of immigration and citizenship law on U.S. military personnel and their families.

Written by Margaret D. Stock, a former military academy professor and retired officer, and founder of the AILA Military Assistance Program, Immigration Law & the Military addresses immigration issues encountered by:

Noncitizens serving on active duty

Noncitizens affected by disciplinary and court martial procedures

U.S. military personnel who marry citizens of other countries

Children of U.S. military personnel who are adopted overseas and are in need of immigrant/nonimmigrant visas

Immigration Law & the Military is the only resource available that gives you the tools to tackle issues such as:

Selective service and enlistment rules

Special rules and procedures for naturalization through military service

Types of military discharges

Implications of military disciplinary proceedings & courts martial

Parole in Place

Military-related issues for family members of military personnel

Civilian employees/contractors who work alongside military member

In addition to the above topics, Immigration Law & the Military explores common military-related issues through real case examples and provides information on special resources available to military personnel and their family members. Confidently handle immigration cases for military personnel and their families with the help of a top expert in the field. Order Immigration Law & the Military today!

ORAM releases first how-to guide for US LGBT and accepting communities to support increasing numbers of LGBT refugees

April 18, 2012, San Francisco.... As increasing numbers of LGBT refugees flee to the United States, ORAM (the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration) has released the first ever guide for American LGBT and accepting communities on welcoming people fleeing persecution in their home countries.

Rainbow Bridges, a 48-page guide developed in a pilot project to resettle LGBT refugees in San Francisco, offers practical step-by-step guidance on welcoming new refugees, ensuring their mental and physical wellbeing, and helping them find support in their new communities. It includes sample forms, a suggested code of conduct, and outlines the avenues for refugees to receive housing, employment, and federal assistance. Rainbow Bridges is available at: http://oraminternational.com/publications

“There are immediate ways those of us in the U.S. can support members of our LGBT community facing persecution overseas,” said Neil Grungras, Executive Director of ORAM. “Uniting in support of queer asylum seekers and refugees is a powerful way of building community and reversing homophobia.”

ORAM estimates the US receives about 2,000 refugees a year who are fleeing persecution based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, representing 6% of all refugees in America. Unlike other refugees, those who are LGBT or intersex often undergo the integration process alone, facing exclusion from the religious and immigrant communities that form the safety net for most newly arrived refugees and asylees. Rainbow Bridges will help U.S. LGBT, faith-based, and welcoming communities support these refugees as they build new lives in the United States.

“LGBT refugees need a different reception for our differences and culture. If I were not gay, I would have easily been accepted into the African-American community and offered the services I needed; instead I faced further discrimination and restricted resources,” said Buchi Miles-Tuck, a gay asylee from Nigeria who fled two days before he was going to be killed. “If you have support from the LGBT community, you can get off the plane and experience how to be free in your own skin.”

Neil Grungas and Buchi Miles-Tuck are available to interview.

About ORAMThe Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration (ORAM) is the only organization focused exclusively on helping vulnerable LGBTI refugees worldwide find safety and rebuild their lives in welcoming communities. ORAM increases global support for refugees and asylum seekers through advocacy and education, as well as technical assistance to people and groups interested in working with refugees, asylees, and asylum seekers. Learn more at www.oraminternational.org.

Living Along the Fenceline airs for the second time on KRCB Public Television in Northern California on May 1 at 9 pm on KRCB Public TV 22 in Northern California.

Living Along the Fenceline tells the stories of 6 remarkable women who live alongside U.S. military bases. They are teachers, organizers,& healers, moved by love & respect for the land, & hope for the next generation. From San Antonio (Texas) to Vieques (Puerto Rico), Hawai’i, Guam, Okinawa, & the Philippines, this film inspires hope and action.

Through the voices of women, Living Along the Fenceline tells the unheard stories of communities across the globe that live alongside US bases and bear the tragic hidden costs to their land, culture, and families. It also shows the strength and creativity of women’s activism in challenging prevailing assumptions about military security as they lift up alternative visions and strategies to a viable future.

Please contact us at info@alongthefenceline.com if you would like to see this film air on your local public television or in your community.